THE LESSON OF THE EAGLE…
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
PERPETUAL BABYHOOD…I AM AFRAID OF THE WORLD… I LOVE THIS COMFORTABLE NEST. I LOVE THIS NEST… LOVING THE COMFORT ZONE MORE THAN LOVING OBEDIENCE CAN KILL THE ANOINTING OF GOD. WE MUST IDENTIFY THE ROOT CAUSE OF WHY DO WE DESIRE TO STAY THE SAME IN THIS COMFORTABLE NEST ALL OF OUR DAYS… ?
We become what our diet directs. My doctor asked me if I knew the number one addiction in the USA? He told me that SUGAR IS THE #1 ADDICTION. We have sugar drinks, sugar foods, sugar snacks and sugar substitutes. WE TEND TO BE JUNK FOOD ADDICTS. Health food can be a passing fad.
Instead of feeding strife we must identify it and starve it into weakness. We need to change.
2 Timothy 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
God's servants must love and be kind and have a HEALTHY DIET of prayer, Bible study and faithfulness to the house of God. We tend to be critical, argumentative and judgmental. Our diet should feast on love, kindness and gentleness. We need to learn to become good listeners and a person that avoids anger, bitterness and unforgiveness. We must love and control our emotions.
THERE IS A BATTLE, A WAR GOING ON … THE WAR IS IN YOUR HEART… THERE IS A TREASURE STORED IN YOUR HEART… WE MUST GUARD OUR HEARTS --- UNHEALTHY HEARTS CAN BE CRIPPLING AND PARALYZING… WILL OUR HABITS MAKE US BECOME SPIRITUAL MIDGETS?
Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
THE CHALLENGE OF THE NEST MINDSET: STAY HERE? NEVER GROW? NEVER IMPROVE? SAME OLD SAME OLD?
DO WE ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO FLY? The parent eagle works for weeks building a comfortable, safe nest high in a tree or maybe in the protective stone cliff. The eagles build and build a suitable nest. The parent eagles will bring good food several times a day. The baby eaglets will eat and sleep, then eat and sleep some more. The eaglets love this room service. Their life is of great ease. The baby eaglets demand more and more food and more and more labor to keep the nest clean.
Deuteronomy 32:11 As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:
Deuteronomy 32:11 (MSG) He was like an eagle hovering over its nest, overshadowing its young, Then spreading its wings, lifting them into the air, teaching them to fly.
Finally the day comes for a PARADIGM SHIFT… For these eaglets to thrive and grow this LAZY, SLOTHFUL PATTERN MUST CHANGE. The parent eagles will start withholding some food from the eaglets to coax them to test their wings. Most of the time the eaglet loves this ease of lifestyle. The parent eagles begin pushing the nest closer and closer to the edge. The eaglets resist this change. One day the eagles will literally push the nest over the cliff. The eaglet has no choice when the eagle pushes the nest over the cliff. The eaglets scream and squall. The baby eagle is crying to the parents: WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME? THIS NEST IS ALL I HAVE EVER KNOWN. Have you raised me this long to kill me?
The eaglet is in a free fall down the edge of the cliff. Both parent eagles will dive beneath the falling eaglet. The eaglet stretches out its wings and flutters frantically. The eaglet says: I AM GOING TO DIE! Not to worry the parent eagles are under the eaglet. If for some reason the eaglet cannot fly the parents will catch the baby on their back and soar them back to the nest to place them safely until another attempt. The parents know for the eaglet to become a healthy eagle it must leave the nest. They fly beneath and if necessary will fly under them to return them to the nest. THE EAGLET’S CHOICE WOULD BE TO FOREVER STAY IN THE NEST… THE PARENTS PUSH THE NEST OUT FROM UNDER THEM. This is not mean this is the Divine Plan.
The eaglet feels the wind. The worry and fear leaves… now the eagle spreads its wings. For the first time the wind starts pushing the eagle higher and higher. The eagle understands the life cycle demands one day you must leave the nest and trust the DIVINE PLAN.
We need a paradigm shift OF OUR LIFE STYLES… WE must grow, develop, learn, teach, mature and advance --- How sad is an adult that acts in PERPETUAL BABYHOOD? Healthy growth needs mentors, teachers and preachers to push us to our POTENTIAL… NO SADDER WORDS OF PEN OR TONGUE THAN THE WORDS: WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN?
JONAH: LOVING THE COMFORT ZONE! GROW UP MY FRIEND… GOD PREPARES A WORM… DON’T STAY HERE!!! JONAH LOVED THE GOURD PLANT’S COMFORT MORE THAN HIS GOD’S CALL… LOST PEOPLE…
Jonah 4:6 And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd. 7 But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered. 8 And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live. 9 And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.
WHO DARES INFLICT PAIN, TORTURE AND AGGRAVATE ME? THERE IS A SPIRITUAL BATTLE, A WAR GOING ON … THE WAR IS IN YOUR HEART… THERE IS A TREASURE STORED IN YOUR HEART… WE MUST GUARD OUR HEARTS --- UNHEALTHY HEARTS CAN BRING PARALYSIS AND EVEN DEATH.
Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
THE ENEMY HAS A PLAN TO HINDER YOUR PROGRESS AND YOUR IMPROVEMENT. THE EAGLE WILL FACE THE CHALLENGE OF THE CROW. THE CROW MINDSET WILL CAUSE US TO LOSE OUR FOCUS OF ETERNAL PRIORITIES. THE CROWS OF LIFE ARE REAL. CROWS TORMENT AND AGGRAVATE… THEY HINDER YOUR LIFE IMPROVEMENT… WE MUST RISE ABOVE THE NEGATIVITY OF OTHERS AND NOT ALLOW THEM TO DRAG US TO THEIR LEVEL. THE LESSON OF THE CROW AND THE EAGLE…
2 Corinthians 1:4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
2 Corinthians 1:4 (MSG) He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us.
Google EAGLE AND CROW… There is only one stupid bird that will challenge the eagle. The crow loves to aggravate and torment THE EAGLE. It is stupid for the smaller bird to pick on the mighty eagle but the crows seem to love to pick on the eagle. Many times it has been recorded the CROW PICKING ON THE EAGLE… There are many pictures of the CROW landing on the eagles back and taking a free ride. The crow sits on the eagles back. The crow pecks, prods and bites the neck of the eagle. THE EAGLE IGNORES THE CROW. The eagle spreads its wings and flies higher. The eagle soars higher and higher. The only bird that dares to annoy the eagle is the crow… LET US WATCH WHAT THE EAGLE DOES. The eagle goes higher, higher and higher until the crow can’t breathe at THE EAGLES LEVEL. The crow passes out and falls back to the earth. The eagle does not RESPOND…
STOP WASTING YOUR ENERGY AND TIME FIGHTING THE CROWS… CHALLENGE YOURSELF… WORK HARDER… LIVE SMARTER… MAY WE SEE WHAT THE CROW IS TRYING TO DO… BE CHALLENGED JUST FLY HIGHER AND FREE ABOVE THE ATTACKS. Critics? Opinions? Arguments? Distractions, emotional--- mental--- spiritual battles… THERE IS A SOLUTION BY REFUSING TO ALLOW THE PECKING TO GET YOU TO BE DISTRACTED AND LOSE SIGHT OF THE GOAL. THE CHALLENGE IS TO WORK ON YOURSELF… BE AN EAGLE GO HIGHER…
HOW DO WE HANDLE ADVERSITY? ADVERSITY IS USED TO STRETCH OUR FAITH BUT ALSO TO BENEFIT OTHERS…THE RENEWAL, REPLACING AND REPAIRING WHAT IS BROKEN, RUN-DOWN AMD WORN OUT…
WE CAN HAVE A NEW BIRTH AND RENEW OUR STRENGTH… WE MUST NOT REACH DOWN AND TALK AND WALK LIKE OTHERS. NEVER ALLOW OTHERS TO CAUSE YOU TO STOOP TO THEIR LEVEL…
Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31 (MSG) But those who wait upon GOD get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don't get tired, they walk and don't lag behind.
There is another bird the parrot… SEEMS PARROTS LOVE TO TALK… THE EAGLE HAS A DIFFERENT MINDSET… STAY AWAY FROM STRIFE. THE EAGLE HAS A CLEAR VISION… EAGLES HUNT LIVE FOOD NOT DEAD FOOD… EAGLES LOVE STORMS--- THE WIND CAUSES THEM TO FLY ABOVE THE STORM… THIS STORM IS AN OPPORTUNITY.
THE RENEWAL OF THE 5 MONTHS OF HARD WORK… REGENERATION… An eagle can live up yo 70 years...
Psalm says: my youth is renewed like an eagle...
The eagle will get old and near weak… THE EAGLE CAN CHANGE, A NEW BIRTH… THE EAGLE FLYS TO A HIGH CLIFF, ALONE… THE EAGLE PLUCKS OUT ITS OLD FEATHERS… IT LOOKS SO UGLY! THE EAGLE RUBS ITS OLD BEAK UNTIL BLOOD IS DRAWN… The eagle rubs its talons against the rock to be like sand paper… Over the 5 months of isolation… the eagle grows a new beak that is razor sharp… the new talons are so strong and can pierce through flesh. The old feathers are gone and beautiful new feathers replaced… WE MUST LEARN HOW TO RENEW OUR ATTITUDES WHEN OTHERS TRY TO DRAG US DOWN.
GOOD ROOTS? GOOD FRUITS! LET US GET REAL --- THE PROBLEMS OF THE ROOTS ARE THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM.
Matthew 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
THE ROOT? THE UNDERCURRENT? THE RIP TIDE?
BEWARE STIRRING UP STRIFE CAN BE VERY COSTLY… WASTED TIME CAN BE DANGEROUS, SOME OPPORTUNITIES CAN NEVER BE RECALLED. God's servants must love and be kind. Never be argumentative, but let us be kind, gentle and be good listeners and a person that stays cool when in a RIPTIDE.
We are always vulnerable to depression and stress. We must watch our steps, be on guard… PROTECT: Keep vigilant watch over your heart: that is where life starts.
WE CAN REDEFINE OUR PURPOSE AND SURRENDER TO GOD’S PLAN. OFTEN WE MISIDENTIFY THE REAL PROBLEM? IDENTIFY THE ROOT OF THE SITUATION…THE SIN OF WASTE?
NEVER WASTE…GUARD YOUR HEART! Abraham refused strife with Lot. So must we! MANY CROWS WILL BRING MUCH STRIFE INTO YOUR DAILY LIFE… JUST FLY HIGHER. NEVER LOSE YOUR FOCUS ON ETERNAL VALUES.
LISTEN TO THE FARMER’S LESSON?
There was a farmer in a western state. He raised crops, cows, pigs, horses and chickens. The farmer had a large hen house and 100 chickens. The farmer’s son gathered the eggs each day. One day there was a huge chicken egg laying just outside the fence. The son picked up the HUGE EGG and showed his dad. They were both amazed at the size of the egg. The farmer told the boy place that huge egg under one of the hens. So the boy complied and placed the huge egg under their biggest hen. 21 days later the baby chickens hatched out. But the big egg never hatched. A week later the huge egg had not hatched. The farmer gave up on the huge egg. On day 35 the huge egg hatched. The boy ran to his father to look. They said: THAT IS THE BIGGEST AND UGLIEST CHICKEN THEY HAD EVER SEEN. That big ugly chicken scratched around in the cracked corn and dug out some worms. Day after day that big, ugly chicken grew and grew. Neighbors heard about the big ugly chicken and they would come over to see that big ugly chicken.
One day a neighbor came to see that big ugly chicken and he said to the farmer that is not a big ugly chicken that is an eaglet. The farmer laughter at his neighbor can’t you see that is a big ugly chicken? The neighbor called the local game warden and said you need to come out to the farm and see this big ugly chicken. So one day the ranger loaded up in his Jeep and drove out to the farm. He asked the farmer, can I see that big ugly chicken everyone is talking about.
So the farmer led the game warden out to the hen house. They watched the chickens scratching around the ground corn. The game warden was amazed… that big ugly chicken was an EAGLE! The warden told the farmer you have a mighty eagle. The farmer said No, it is a big ugly chicken watch it, he acts like a chicken.
The warden said I will prove to you this is an eagle. The farmer said Ok, but it is a big ugly chicken. The game warden walked in the hen lot and picked up the big ugly chicken and carried it to the barn. He climbed up in the hay loft and looked down. The warden threw the big ugly chicken out of the top of the barn. The big ugly chicken flapped its way to the ground. The farmer laughed and said I told you it was a big ugly chicken.
The game warden said: FARMER WOULD YOU SELL ME THAT BIG UGLY CHICKEN? The farmer said I get $3.00 for a chicken. The ranger pulled out 3 one dollar bills and said I will take that big ugly chicken. I will be back tomorrow with a cage and take that chicken. The next day the game warden returned in his Jeep and had a cage that he loaded the big ugly chicken in. The chicken kept scratching in the dirt. The warden drove several hours to a high mountain. The cliff view was beautiful. The warden got the chicken out of the Jeep and said YOU ARE NOT A CHICKEN YOU ARE AN EAGLE. The warden carried the chicken to the edge of the cliff and said I am going to prove you are not a chicken. God designed you to SOAR. With that the warden threw the big chicken over the cliff. The chicken fell several hundred feet screaming all the way. Finally the chicken spread its wings and felt the wind beneath its wings. The wind’s current started lifting the BIG CHICKEN HIGHER AND HIGHER. The big chicken may have acted like a chicken on the lot… but the chicken never was a chicken, it was an EAGLE!
Why do I tell you this lesson? MY FRIEND YOU ARE NOT A CHICKEN… YOU ARE AN EAGLE. GOD DESIGNED YOU TO QUIT DIGGING IN THE DIRT. GOD DESIGNED YOU TO SOAR. EAGLES DON’T RIDE OUT THE STORMS. EAGLES FLY ABOVE THE STORMS. DO YOU HEAR ME, IF YOU ARE GROUNDED WITH CHICKENS YOU WLL PROBABLY ACT LIKE A CHICKEN? MY FRIEND, SPREAD YOUR WINGS, FEEL THE WIND, REACH HIGHER AND HIGHER… ONLY YOUR ATTITUDES CAN LIMIT YOUR ATTITUDES AND ALTITUDES.
WILL YOUR BEAR WITH ME FOR ONE MORE EAGLE STORY? THERE IS AN INDIAN AND AN EAGLE IN THIS LESSON.
There was a tribe of Indians in the west. There were two test to prove yourself as a BRAVE WARRIOR. The first test was every young man had to be blindfolded and spend the night sitting on the stump all night in the middle of the wild life. The young boy had to sit still and let nothing birth fear in him. During the night the young boy heard a pack of wolfs. He wanted to run, he said no I will stay here. Later in the night the owl hooted and warned the boy there was a big black bear approaching him. Again the boy wanted to run in fear. He refused … he knew he must stand his ground. Finally the long night was over and the boy could tell the sun was up. The boy pulled off his blindfold and there sitting three feet away from him was his father with his knife and bow. Never at any time was the boy in danger. He passed his test. He never allowed worry and fear to dictate to his emotions.
There was one more test to pass to become a BRAVE! The young man had to kill an eagle and pluck its feather to make a beautiful head dress to wear the rest of his days. Many days the boy went hunting for an eagle. He could never get close to an eagle with his arrow. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months and the boy could not kill an eagle. The boy worked on his bow? He worked on his arrows perfecting this aim and target.
As the eagle flew over the young man, the eagle would laugh and make fun of the lad. The boy kept trying and improving himself. He perfected the fletching of his arrows. One of the feathers is called an index. The other feathers are called a hen. The boy learned and grew.
One day as the eagle flew over the boys head, the eagle was laughing at all the effort the boy had worked … the boy pulled back his bow and launched the arrow. Suddenly the eagle felt the arrow wound him. As the eagle looked down and grasped the arrow the eagle saw it was his own feathers that was taking him down.
He was killed by his own feathers. The only effective weapon against you will be the ammunition you provide from your own arsenal. Be careful or you might become your own worst enemy?
CONCLUSION:
Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Colossians 3:23 (MSG) Work from the heart for your real Master, for God,
I would love to be someone else. I am envious and jealous of others. I would like to be a great artist like Bob Ross, Picasso, Van Gogh, da Vinci but I shall never attain that level? I desire to be a famous writer that my pen would teach others like C.S Lewis, Mark Twain, Edgar Poe, Charles Dickens and A.W. Tozer but I never pick up a pen?
How I would love to be an acclaimed musician like Dolly Parton, Hank Williams, Louis Armstrong, Chet Atkins and Jimi Hendrix but I will never practice?
Maybe I can never be a famous pastor like Billy Graham, T.D. Jakes, John Hagee, and Charles Stanley, maybe God’s call is beyond fame and success for me. Maybe God’s call is you to be a faithful janitor? To love to read your Bible? To be a loving caregiver? Maybe God is calling you to lift up the arms that hang down?
Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Galatians 6:9 (MSG) So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit.
WHAT AM I LEARNING? WHAT AM I TEACHING? EACH DAY IS A NEW DAY --- A NEW OPPORTUNITY.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
Could you help enlarge my hands and pass this on to another person ?
